Love is in the...Teabag!

     When I was a young newly wed, smitten and starry eyed, I’d fashion anything I made into the shape of hearts. This included foods such as pizza crusts, hamburgers, even chocolate chip cookies were patted into the iconic symbol for love. As the years past and our family grow, this habit fell to only one day a year, when, on St. Valentine’s Day, I’d make heart-shaped pizzas for the whole family.
      Having just celebrated 32 years of wedded bliss, I wanted to re-institute the heart-habit and since I love tea almost as much as my husband, I came up with this idea to share with my family and friends any day of the year but especially on St. Valentine’s Day. Best of all, it can utilizes any homegrown herbs, berries or wild foraged ingredients you might have.

Heart-Shaped Teabags
Materials:
• loose leaf tea or dried herbs of choice
• coffee filters
• embroidery floss
• blunt needle
• card stock
• felt-tip markers
• small spoon
• tape or glue
     Many of us dry  herbs, edible flowers, and berries that can be used in these teabags. You may even grow real tea plants. However, if you don't, you can use purchased tea and herbs just as well.

To Begin:
•Fold coffee filter in half
•Draw desired shape smooth, center portion of filter
•Draw out shape on folder coffee filter
•Using a bold red embroidery floss, start in center of heart and stitch 2/3 of the way around shape using a basic running stitch.
•Fill the bag with about one teaspoon of tea leaves or two teaspoons of herbs using a small spoon.
•Finish stitching bag until closed, leaving a tail of floss, about two inches long.

• Cut out a 1/2 x 1 inch rectangle from card stock.
• Lay tip of floss in center and glue or tape in place.
• Fold tag in half and write a special message on tag.
  
  

     A few of these special teabags make a lovely gift for your valentine. Of course, you can make them in any shape you like but why not choose hearts and spread a little love around?
     You can purchase loose leaf tea at any tea shop, even some grocery stores now carry it, or order online. For St. Valentine's Day teabags, we like to use a black tea mixed with pink rose petals because it looks extra-special and it tastes delightful.        Perhaps you would like an herbal blend for your heart-shaped teabag, try one of the recipes below using commonly found herbs:
• 1 part* dried mint
• 1/2 part dried tulsi
• 1/8 part unsprayed, dried rose petals
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• 1 part dried chamomile
• 1 part dried mint
• pinch of dried lavender buds
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• 1 part rooibos
• 1/8 part dried lemon rind
• 1/8 part dried rose hips
*A “part” can be as large or small as you would like. Adjust the fractions accordingly.